Leadership and Community
Members of the Ontario College of Teachers are educational leaders who create and sustain learning communities in their classrooms,in their schools, and in their profession. They collaborate with their colleagues and other professionals, with parents,and with other members of the community to enhance school programs and student learning.

Rationale

I have learned so much from my colleagues through our discussions and from the activities posted. I have felt a tremendous amount of support from all of the positive responses, both for my postings and for others. I am grateful for the many resources which my classmates have shared. As an example, I have included a list of websites for the junior learner which includes contributions from others in this course.

My research on using portfolios represents this standard of practice because all of my knowledge about this method has come from others in the course, the text, and the on line community. I have never used portfolios as a method of assessment before, but I have been inspired to try using them next year. They allow students to take a more active role in assessment and they are such a good vehicle for involving and communicating with parents the achievements of their children. This is essential for the “creation of a learning community”.

It is sometimes difficult for a teacher to negotiate their own ideals with the context of their work environment. Being able to to this successfully is essential for building a strong community. I have also included here my belief statement which explores this conflict.

The Tasks


Resources for using Portfolios

Websites for the Junior Learner

Belief Statement